Pages

Thursday, 26 September 2013

Interview with Kathy - Stanford Row

Hello everyone! Hope we are all well, as mentioned the website StanfordRow have asked me to re-write up the an interview with a new upcoming designer Kathy Wilson.. So here we go!!

If you are
familiar with or have watched Joe Zee’s (Elle creative director) “All On The Line” on the Sundance Channel
then there’s a high chance you will be familiar with Kathy Wilson. In Season 2,
Episode 3; Joe Zee helps Kathy renovate her line from sedate to stylish and I
got the chance to write the interview which allows us into her world and see
what inspires her.

With
designs which have captured something quite unique and display the quality and
technical skill which fills people with the appreciation for her craft and
furthermore, her creative mind, what can she tell us about her work? “My
atelier launched after I designed a jacket for Stevie Wonder that he wore to
the President Obama's first White House Correspondents'
Dinner. I am a menswear and womenswear designer who started on red carpet
pieces for celebrities under Richard Tyler Couture. I love doing gowns
and suits but after researching where the market was moving, I decided to
launch a contemporary line during my participation in a reality show.” With
her working in her own work space in Brooklyn it must be hard to make bespoke
designs but she seems to think this way is best for her, “I sketch and drape on my dress forms here. Then I get my samples done and take sales
appointments out of my showroom in New York's garment district.”

However, the Question on everyone’s lips; what made her want to design bespoke
garments? “My introduction to bespoke
clothing came from my first job at Richard Tyler. It was where I learned how to measure and
make beautiful clothes inside and out."

With a now ever growing appreciation for clothes
and the way you can piece them together, I want to know what are her
thoughts are on bespoke items: “I
love bespoke clothing but it is very hard to find customers that understand the
artisanal quality and care of this type of work. Most consumers follow trends and don't have a
sense of quality that bespoke customers understand." Never
has someone said it better! At Stanford Row they are really passionate about
helping people becoming more confident and swarvé/savvy dresser. However, I
feel that the bespoke clothes are beginning to be appreciated more and more by the consumer. I would like to know in
this current climate what is her most pressing challenges that she faces? “"I find that Americans are all about
sales. Black Friday and getting a great
deal has programmed people to only buy things on discount. It turns people in hoarders instead of people
that love things that they can hold onto and resell later on." This is
the reality that is faced by most people. As it seems, there needs to be a
transformation of peoples thinking, one genuine item at a time. The thing that
we find the biggest difference with bespoke as opposed to mass produced, is the
relationship. Suddenly, you have a relationship with the person making your
garment as opposed to no relationship at all. So how does Kathy work with her
clients? “I generally have clients that
see my work and then make request for a suit or a dress. Then I ask them what their budget is because
I want to make sure I go under budget. I
proceed by asking them what they like and don't like about their body. I ask about fabrics, colors, cuts, and then I
take their measurements. I create three
sketches and then they get to pick which one they want to make. Sometimes, they make all of them." This
is something that most people are missing out on when purchasing everyday
garments. This, personally, is what excites me about the process; you can
discuss figures and flaws and tastes and really get it right.

Your designs
are obviously gorgeous, you have been spotted by a notable person in need of an
outfit for a special event, who would you really like to dress in your designs?
“My dream client is Angelina Jolie
because she is a beautiful person on the inside as well as on the outside. That my ideal client in general. I want to dress people that make a difference
in the world in a positive way." This is a lovely thought! Which item
from your range on Stanford Rowwould
you tailor make for them and why? "I
would make her the Iris dress because it combines softness with the purple silk
burnout fabric and some edginess using the black lambskin leather. It is feminine but conveys strength." This
is an ideal dress for her and she would look stunning. As it shows off her
cleavage and then accentuates the hip. So how did she get here? Were there any
key moments? Can she see the trail? "My
mom owns a salon in the Silicon Valley that I used to help out at in order to
spend time with her. As a result, I was
surrounded by very successful women that inspired me to design for the woman I
wanted to become. When I went to FIDM in Los Angeles I landed an internship
with Richard Tyler and got hired after my third day as an intern. I started working with celebrities before I graduated
and learned all about impeccable tailoring from him.I
left my job there to be with my husband during his military service. It took us to Japan where I got to live for
three years taking in fashion inspiration.
I designed gowns for some of the military wives and learnt about
manufacturing overseas. When I came back to the states, my husband suggested we
go to New York to help me get back into fashion. I had many custom clients and made a profit
on my first orders. Then I got a request from Stevie Wonder's people to do a
jacket for him. When I delivered it,
they decided that he would wear it to the White House Correspondents' Dinner
the following day. It
was the best day of my professional life. I met Stevie Wonder's wife for lunch
at Villa Blanca in Beverly Hills to deliver his jacket. Afterwards, we
walked to her studio where she asked me if it would be okay to have him wear it
to the White House. Then she showed me the collection she was working on
for Michelle Obama and I got to touch all of the dresses and give her my
thoughts. It was amazing." So who has
inspired here to get to where she is today? “Richard
Tyler. In the way I finish my custom garments.”Lastly what would she say
to the people who are thinking about taking clothes out of the mass producers
and entrusting it into the tailors, dressmakers and specialists out there
today? “I would tell them that they will
not look at clothing the same way again. Having clothes made for you is
special, and wearing them makes you feel powerful. Where mass production makes
us fit into average, bespoke empowers us to be fully who we are."

I think it’s fair to say her journey is both inspiring
and well deserved. If you too have been inspired by Kathy’s designs click hereto find her
online at StanfordRow.com where you can find designs tailor made to you!